Sports
All My Rowdy Friends Play Cornhole
It may be debatable how much of a sport cornhole is, but you can play with a beer in one hand – how bad can that be?
Hanging out with friends and co-workers after a long day can involve more than eating and drinking. With the CornholeATL Cornhole League hosting games four times a year at Peachtree Corners Town Center, you can add tossing bean bags at a small hole to the mix.
The state’s largest and fastest-growing cornhole league is back for another season of fun. CornholeATL’s Fall League starts in August and, as always, there are four different divisions of play to accommodate all skill levels.
Make friends and have fun
Jeff Brawand, Owner of CornholeATL, moved to metro Atlanta from Cincinnati, Ohio in 2007 to work for Delta Airlines. “Growing up in Ohio, cornhole is everywhere,” he said. “When I moved to Atlanta, I was looking for a way to meet people.”
He tried kickball games and soccer and things like that, but as he got older, he was looking for an outlet where he wouldn’t get hurt or seriously injured. “I got to the point where I said to myself, ‘I don’t need to be sliding anymore. I’m just trying to meet new people and meet new friends.’ And so, I started the cornhole league, CornholeATL, in 2011,” he said.
The league started in Virginia Highlands in a public park. A few years later, Brawand said he “pivoted to playing at bars, mixed use developments and open green spaces.”
He likes the fact that players are surrounded by different sorts of restaurants at Town Center and there’s plenty of space to spread out and have fun. “It’s a lot easier than having to play in a public park where people are bringing out coolers,” Brawand said. “It’s easier to play at a venue where people could just buy drinks, buy food and kind of spend their money on site.”
One of the first mixed-use developments where CornholeATL set was Avalon in Alpharetta. “They love it because we’re bringing people on a night where it might not be as busy,” noted Brawand. “But now people are coming out playing cornhole. They’re grabbing dinner with their friends beforehand; they’re grabbing drinks during and after the games. So it kind of just built up the area a little bit more.”
The league came to Peachtree Corners about three years ago, when teams started forming outside the Perimeter. “It’s been really successful outside the city,” Brawand said. “There’s a lot of stuff to do already [in Atlanta] and so it does great here because people might not have as much to do. And when they get home, they probably don’t want to have to go downtown. They want to be able to stay in their area.”
When North American Properties General Manager Tim Perry presented his company’s vison for The Forum, events like the cornhole league were what he said the property will endorse. Brawand stressed that working with the Town Center staff has been a great experience and the seasons have been quite successful.
How it works
Each season of CornholeATL lasts seven weeks and there are four cornhole seasons a year. “We do it spring, summer, fall and winter,” Brawand said. “The first six weeks are the regular season, and the last week – week seven — is the playoffs for that location.”
Each league has four divisions: beginner, intermediate, intermediate-plus and advanced. That way people with similar skill levels compete against each other. It would be kind of like having Charles Barkley or Michael Jordan playing pick-up basketball.
“You basically can go to our website and kind of see the skill level you would be best suited,” Brawand said. “If you’re barely hitting a board, then you’re probably a beginner. But if you’re getting all four in the hole or on the board, then you’re probably advanced.”
At the end of the day, the goal is to have fun, said Brawand. “That’s our focus. And that’s why we call it a cornhole league as opposed to a tournament. The word tournament kind of has a negative vibe that might be a little bit more competitive.
“So it’s a league; it’s a social league. The beginners will only play beginners all season long, even when it comes to the playoffs. Beginners only play the beginners in their division in the playoffs so you’re never playing up or down, which makes it a little bit more approachable.”
Jackie Adams, Senior Director of Operations of New Franchise Development at Floor Coverings International has been on a CornholeATL team at Peachtree Corners Town Center since the league came there. “It’s super chill and a good way to relax and unwind with friends after work,” she said.
In an era when not as many companies sponsor bowling or softball, the relatively small cost to pay for employees to form a cornhole team is quite attractive. “The company reimburses us for our registration, and we have t-shirts made every season,” said Adams. “And since the teams are so small, we always have enough people to play.”
Within the six weeks of regular play, a team needs at least two people to be present to play or the game will be forfeited, Brawand explained. After two forfeitures, the team is out of the league. “We don’t want to waste people’s time,” he said. “It’s a commitment, but a small one.”
Championship play
After a winner is declared for each division within a league, the winning teams move on to the state championship to play the winners of the other leagues. Right now, there are 45 leagues in the state from as far east as Athens, as far west as Carterville, as far south as Fayetteville and as far north as the outlets near Cumming.
The farthest leagues could be a couple of hours’ drive from Atlanta, so the championship games are rotated around the area, although they’re usually held in the city.
“We just did the spring tournament in Woodstock, and the summer one will be in Acworth,” said Brawand. Last year one of the championships was held in Peachtree Corners.
“It’s a blast. Everyone comes out from around the whole state,” he continued. “There are usually around 350 people playing and they all bring some spectators because it’s a big event with big prizes and big trophies.”
Some of the coveted prizes have been tailgating chairs that say “Champions” on the back, which can be pretty cool when you’re hanging out at a Bulldogs or Falcons game.
“We pride ourselves on being a social league and having those divisions,” said Brawand. “It’s more of a social thing than a sport. You come out and have a good time. And you can toss the bean bag with one hand while you have your choice of beverage in the other.”
Sign up now to play cornhole this fall
Registration for the CornholeATL Fall League is open until August 22. Sign up at cornholeatl.leaguelab.com/league/52593/detail. For more info, email info@cornholeatl.com.
Peachtree Corners resident, Alex Everett traveled to Italy this past September — not as a tourist but as an athlete. The 28-year-old accountant and liver transplant survivor, served as goalkeeper on Team USA as they competed in the first-ever Transplant Football World Cup.
The event — part of the larger World Transplant Games — promoted giving the gift of life through a week of connection and sportsmanship, showcasing how people with organ transplants can live a normal, active life.
“I first heard about the US Transplant World Cup team a few years ago through a social media post,” said Alex. “The first Transplant World Cup was originally going to take place in 2022 but was postponed due to the uncertainty around international travel and COVID. Fast forward to 2024 and Team USA had an interest meeting via Zoom to discuss details about the tournament and fielding the American team.”
Team USA
All together, they had 14 people from around the United States (hailing from Georgia, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, California and Hawaii) join the team, which traveled to Cervia, Italy in September to compete.
“There were 10 other countries that were represented in the World Cup, and we were split into two groups, one of five and one of six,” Alex explained.
“It was an incredible experience representing the US at an international level, competing against other transplant recipients from around the world. We not only were able to share our passion for soccer but also our stories of transplantation and what obstacles we had to overcome to be where we were.”
Coming together to compete
Team USA played well in their matches but placed 9th out of the 11 teams. Because players came from all over the country to join the team, they hadn’t had the opportunity to practice together — or even meet in person — before the tournament started.
“The first time we met face to face and kick a ball as a team was our first game against France,” said Alex. “While that outcome was not what we wanted, we progressively got better as the tournament went on. Eventually ending with a win in a penalty shoot-out against Wales and a normal time win in our final game against Northern Ireland.”
“It was an incredible experience, and I would highly recommend anyone who’s involved with transplantation to reach out and get involved with not only Team USA but also with the Transplant Games of America (TGA), which is an Olympic-style competition for people who have received transplants or living donors,” he added.
Most states in the US have their own TGA team, including one here in Georgia.
World Transplant Games 2025
The next World Transplant Games will be held in Dresden, Germany on August 17-24, 2025.
Over six days, athletes and teams from 60 countries will meet to compete in 17 different sports. The US Team is excited to be part of it again and are currently looking for more players interested in taking part.
Leave a lasting legacy
Alex is also involved with the Peachtree Corners-based organization LifeLink® of Georgia, a division of the LifeLink® Foundation.
Established over 40 years ago, the foundation’s mission is to inspire new organ donor registrations and celebrate those who have decided to save lives as a registered organ, eye or tissue donor. The mission is carried out locally through education programs and community awareness campaigns.
Earlier this year, LifeLink of Georgia launched The Infinity Campaign, a state-wide educational effort aimed at motivating and registering new organ donors. The campaign is represented by the infinity symbol, to demonstrate the lasting impact of organ and tissue donation.
About LifeLink of Georgia
LifeLink of Georgia partners with hospitals to support and guide families as they establish their loved one’s legacy through organ and tissue donation.
They carry out the decisions of registered donors or their families and honor the life of each donor by providing organs and tissue for transplant to as many patients as possible.
In 2023, 457 men, women and children gifted a legacy of life through organ donation with LifeLink of Georgia, yet there are still nearly 3,000 patients in the state awaiting an organ transplant and thousands more that could benefit from tissue transplantation.
“When you become an organ donor, your life story continues through the lives you save, ensuring that your legacy lives on indefinitely,” says Katie Payne, executive director, LifeLink of Georgia. “Life is an invaluable treasure, a lesson we learn anew each day from our donor families. Thanks to their generosity, LifeLink of Georgia saves thousands of lives every year, and we are deeply honored to continue this extraordinary mission.”
The Infinity Campaign
The Infinity Campaign features a series of real stories from registered donors, each telling what inspired them to register and emphasizing the effect this decision has on saving lives. By sharing these stories, LifeLink aims to motivate more people to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and spread the message of hope and life.
“The decision to become a donor was deeply personal. It is an opportunity to give the ultimate gift — the gift of life,” said Adán Bean. “I get to continue to tell the story for others, be a little bit of ink in their pen and help them write what they want to write.”
As part of the launch, LifeLink has created the website mystorycontinues.com, which spotlights stories from donors and recipients and offers innovative tools, including the opportunity to upload a photo to share your support and spread the word on social media about the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation.
Become a donor
Being a donor is an incredible way for individuals to make a difference and have an impact on the lives of others. One organ, eye and tissue donor can potentially save or improve the lives of more than 75 people.
The need for organ and tissue donors is greater now than ever, given the growing numbers of people on transplant wait lists and increasing numbers of people with diabetes and kidney disease.
Currently, there are about 3,000 people in Georgia on the organ transplant list and thousands more on the tissue transplant list.
There are several simple ways to register your decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor:
- Visit mystorycontinues.com and sign up today.
- Register when renewing or receiving a driver’s license or identification card at the Georgia Department of Driver Services.
- Register when obtaining a hunting or fishing license through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
For more about LifeLink of Georgia, visit lifelinkfoundation.org/our-story/#llgeorgia.
The two-day event aims to raise funds for local dog rescue
Show off your pickleball skills, cheer on the players, meet fellow dog lovers and enjoy the beautiful facility and courts at Life Time Health & Fitness Center in Peachtree Corners at the second annual Pickle for Pups fundraising weekend.
Whether you’re a tournament-level player or a pickleball beginner, this two-day event offers fun for everyone. With exciting games, drills and open play; a Friday night party; Saturday team tournament; and an online raffle, it’s a great way to meet and mingle with other pickleball enthusiasts while supporting the work done by BarkVille Dog Rescue.
Weekend events
The festivities kick off on Friday, November 15 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. with an evening of food, drinks, live music and pickleball. The Life Time pros will offer clinics and drills, and other courts will be available for open play. Some of the rescue’s adorable, adoptable dogs will even be onsite for the fun.
Saturday, November 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. will feature the team tournament with two divisions: 3.0/3.5 and 4.0/4.5. Matches will include one men’s line, one women’s line and two mixed lines. The top four teams in each level will advance to the medal round, and medals for the top three teams in each division will be awarded.
Participants can form their own team or ask to be placed on a team at their level.
Team tournament players will receive a boxed lunch, and food will also be available for purchase at the club restaurant.
In addition to tournament play, beginners clinics and drills will be offered from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., and open play will be available for those who can’t commit to the full afternoon but still want to have some pickleball fun.
There will be nine courts available for Friday night and 12 courts for Saturday. All courts are permanent pickleball courts and indoor courts are also available, so the event will be held rain or shine.
Ticket options
The Drinks & Dinks pass includes entrance to the Friday evening party (complete with food, drink, live music and pickleball), as well as entry on Saturday for open play, clinics and drills. Cost: $50.
The Top Dog “Team Up for Rescue” tournament pass is for people playing in the team tournament and includes registration for all of the action on Saturday as well as the Friday night party and an event swag bag. Cost: $75.
Both ticket options allow you to come both days or just one day.
The raffle
Pickle for Pups is also holding a raffle featuring amazing prizes, including an all-inclusive trip for two to the Caribbean, a Zane Navratil ProXR paddle and virtual lesson, gift cards to local restaurants and more.
New prizes will be added weekly leading up to the event. Raffle tickets can be purchased online through November 16. The drawing will be held that day at 3:00 p.m.
Ten raffle entries are $25; 140 entries can be purchased for $200. Other entry packages are available for $50 and $100 as well.
The details
Event dates: November 15-16
Location: Life Time Health Club & Fitness Center at 6350 Courtside Dr. NW, Peachtree Corners, GA
For more information or to make a donation, purchase event tickets or buy raffle entries, visit go.rallyup.com/pickleforpups2024.
For more about BarkVille Dog Rescue, visit barkvilledogrescue.org.
Information about Life Time in Peachtree Corners can be found at lifetime.life/locations/ga/peachtree-corners.
Olympian Jasmine Jones, a standout alumna of Greater Atlanta Christian School (Class of 2020), returned to her alma mater on September 12 to speak to and inspire the next generation of students there.
GAC staff interviewed Jones and also took questions from the students during a Q&A session that included every grade level.
As a member of the U.S. Olympic team and a 12-time Georgia state individual champion during her time at GAC, Jasmine’s visit was a homecoming filled with motivation and reflection. She spoke passionately to the students about the importance of perseverance, goal-setting, and embracing challenges, drawing from her journey from GAC to the University of Southern California and the global stage of the Olympics.
Jones qualified for the Paris Olympics on June 30 and made the U.S. team in women’s 400m hurdles after placing third. She went on to place fourth in the women’s 400m hurdles final at the Paris games.
Students and staff at GAC cheered Jones on during the Olympics. And they cheered her again as she took to the school’s stage to address the audience. Before and after the event, Jones posed for photos, gave high-fives and took time connect with some of GAC’s enthusiastic students and faculty.
Her words — and her accomplishments — left a powerful impression on the crowd, reminding everyone of the heights that can be achieved with dedication and faith.
For more about GACS, visit greateratlantachristian.org.
Final Restaurants Announced for New Politan Row Food Hall at The Forum
Fun for All Ages: The Neighborhood Christmas Train 2024 Experience
The High Museum to Showcase “Thinking Eye, Seeing Mind”
GAC Shares Joy of Christmas with Annual Can-A-Thon Support
GAC Shares Joy of Christmas with Annual Can-A-Thon Support
Final Restaurants Announced for New Politan Row Food Hall at The Forum
The High Museum to Showcase “Thinking Eye, Seeing Mind”
Fun for All Ages: The Neighborhood Christmas Train 2024 Experience
Life in Motion: The Gift of Organ Donation Fuels Active Lives for Recipients
Furkids Wraps Up Successful Year with Open House Event and More
The Dec/Jan Issue of Peachtree Corners Magazine is Out Now
Shaping Peachtree Corners: New Vision for the Central Business District [Podcast]
Light up the Corners [Video]
Capitalist Sage: Business Leadership in Your Community [Podcast]
Cliff Bramble: A Culinary Adventure through Italy
Top 10 Brunch Places in Gwinnett County
A Hunger for Hospitality
THE CORNERS EPISODE 3 – BLAXICAN PART 1
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The ED Hour: What it takes to Remove Barriers from Education
